Gwendolyn Braiser, mezzo-soprano (left) performs “Pie Jesu” accompanied by cellist Bryant Hopkins (right) on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. Pie Jesu is part of Requiem, Op. 9 by Maurice Duruflé, a French composer. Cordero Reid/Sun Star

Friday, Nov. 9, the Choir of the North performed several French music pieces in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall. The performance was a special dedication to the late Dolores Heine who passed away at the end of September. Heine was an accompanist for the Choir of the North for most of the group performances in the 1980s.

The musical presentation was based off Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem,” with special guest organist James Johnson. Johnson is an international composer who has played with the Royal Philharmonic in London and the Boston Pops Orchestra.

The choir began with “Four Motets” on Gregorian themes. “Ubi caritas,” with cantor was lead by faculty member and alto singer Leah Berman Willaims,“Tota pulchera es,” was lead by music student Rebecca File, “Tue es Petrus” was lead by tenor Charles Woodward and “Tandum ergo” with cantor was led by bass singer Dean Shannon. The motets were moving and the choir was well practiced and in sync at times. Conductor and Program Director Dr. John Hopkins visibly put much effort into producing a quality evening of music.

During the second act, the choir performed the “5th Symphony for Organ” by Charles-Marie Widor, “Prelude on an Anthem, No. 8″ by Jean Langlais and the finale of “First Symphony for Organ” by Louis Vierne.  At the beginning of this portion of the concert, Johnson sat down at the organ and performed the pieces with an electrifying and beautiful ease.

The final act of the night featured performances by the choir and Johnson. “Requiem, Op .9″ by Maurice Duruflé is a wonderful piece that should be heard at least once in one’s lifetime. It is a symphony of haunting musical expertise that was crafted and well executed by the choir.

During the fifth piece “Pie Jesu” Gwendolyn Braiser, a mezzo-soprano and Bryant Hopkins performed the cello with the choir. Braiser’s voice and projection could be heard all the way to the back of the concert hall with clarity and Hopkins’ instrumentation was superb.

The concert was a great experience and their Christmas performance is eagerly anticipated. After, the audience exited the concert hall and filled the grand hall as the choir members met up with friends and family.

An audience in the Davis Concert hall awaits Gabriele Leporatti’s solo piano recital on Oct. 25, 2012. Fernadna Chamorro/Sun Star

Italian pianist Gabriele Leporatti walked onto the Davis Concert Hall stage with confidence at his solo piano performance Thursday, Oct. 25. The concert was a part of the Daniel Pearl Music Days, “an annual global concert network affirming the ideals of tolerance, friendship, and our shared humanity.”

The purpose of the Daniel Pearl Music days is to convey the idea that “through performance we reaffirm our conviction that humanity will triumph and harmony will prevail.”

As the auditorium lights dimmed, and the stage lights focused on Leporatti, he  began his performance with a selection from Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, performing “Maestoso” and “Arietta,” two very dynamic pieces. The selections from Beethoven’s Piano Sonata went from suspenseful to soothing in a matter of seconds. Gabriele grabbed the audience’s attention with his performance of “Maestoso” from Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32. Leporatti did an incredible job of capturing every aspect of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, No. 32 in C minor.

After Leporatti’s performance of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, there was a short intermission filled with chatter about the incredible job Leporatti had done. Audience members anxiously anticipated the second portion of the recital. “He is a very spectacular piano player. It is incredible how he plays such complex pieces with such ease, I can’t wait to hear the rest of his performance,”  UAF student Alex Thompson said.

Leporatti entered the concert hall stage for the second time, opening with a selection from Claude Debussy’s Three Preludes. Leporatti began with “Le Vent dans le plaine,” a short but dynamic piece from Debussy, which led into his performance of “La Cathedrale engloutie” and “Canope,” two very intimate pieces from Debussy.

Leporatti ended his performance with his rendition of Ravel’s “Gaspard de la nuit”. Leporatti played this complex and dynamic piece flawlessly. Leporatti ended his intimate, and flawless solo piano recital with “Scarbo” from Ravel, an extremely difficult and complex piece that Leporatti played seamlessly.  Audience members were shaking their heads in disbelief as they watched Leporatti play. Leporatti enchanted  the audience with his performance of “Scarbo” and left them in a state of awe as he played the last notes of the night.

Leporatti received a standing ovation from the filled auditorium for his incredible solo piano performance. Audience members smiled as they stood and clapped for Leporatti’s job well done. Gabriele Leporatti fulfilled the theme of the Daniel Pearl Music days through his playing, and certainly gave a performance to remember at the Davis Concert Hall.

The First Friday art show for October was held in the UAF Geodata center where UAF students, faculty and Fairbanks locals displayed their ice inspired art work for public viewing.  Many of the artists  featured were photographers. Their photographs were taken while traveling to some of the most remote parts of Alaska.

Zebulon Maharray, a graduate student at the Geophysical Institute was the featured artist for the first time at this month’s event. Maharray’s photo “Southern Chugiak Mountains ice damned glacial lake” was taken when he took a trip for the Alaska Earthquake Information Center. “I took a trip with the AEIC in August, where we were able to see Alaska from a helicopter. I was able to have a birds eye view of everything, and saw an opportunity for an incredible photo when we were flying over the mountains,” said Maharray.

Two other photographers featured were Adam and Julie Hughes. Adam and Julie have worked with photography for over 15 years, but just started to take their photography seriously in the last year. Adam and Julie had three photographs exhibited for this First Friday show that depicted the natural beauty of Barrow.

“I went up to Barrow for a week with the Coast Guard. I had to take advantage of one of the few days it was clear out, so I drove up and down the coast line, and the way that the sun was shining on the iceberg and water was a perfect photo opportunity,” Adam Hughes said.

Some of the featured artists were able to exhibit the raw beauty of  Fairbanks winter as well.

Colby Wright, a long time photographer and student in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, was another featured artist who captured the often overlooked simple beauty of winter in Alaska. “It was close to break up time, and the temperature was starting to rise when I took this photo. I saw the icicles outside of my cabin beginning to melt, and had a sudden photographic urge,”  Wright said.

The ice inspired theme of October’s First Friday art show certainly shined through last Friday in the Geodata center thanks to these artists and all of the other artists who were featured this month. The featured artists communicated  the beauty that is always in sight in Alaska winters through their artwork.

The Fairbanks Symphony Arctic Chamber Orchestra had their first concert of the 2012-2013 season Sunday, Sept. 30. The Davis concert hall was packed almost to full capacity, as the FSO opened up their season with a concert featuring Jun Watabe on alto saxophone. Watabe, a UAF woodwinds professors and classical saxophonist who has performed at concerts across the nation.

Excited chatter died down in the concert hall as all lights and eyes were set on the FSO waiting for the first notes of the season to be played. When director Eduard Zilberkant entered the stage, he led the orchestra into their performance of Overture in D, in Italian Style, a composition by Franz Schubert.

After their opening song, soloist Jun Watabe joined the orchestra for Concerto for Saxaphone and Strings composed by Alexander Glazunov and Concertino Da Camera composed by Jacques Ibert. Jun Watabe played each precise note with passion as he and the FSO blended with one another flawlessly. Jun Watabe filled the concert hall with both heartbreaking and energetic tones on his alto saxophone. After their performance of the Schubert piece, Jun Watabe and the FSO received a standing ovation for their moving performance.

After intermission, the FSO returned to the stage for their last song of the night: Symphony No. 4 “Italian” composed by Felix Mendelssohn. Their last performance was full of tension and sweet flowing melodies. Zilberkant and the orchestra became one with the music. The orchestra emitted passion with every note they played in this opening performance. The last movement, Saltarello: Presto, of Symphony No. 4 “Italian” resonated excitement throughout the concert hall.

The Arctic Chamber Ochestra gave an incredible performance, proving that the FSO will once again have a concert season to anticipate this year.

Saturday, September 15 at 8 pm American singer, songwriter and rapper Dev will be performing live at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Student Recreational Center for what is said to be an electric affair.

Dev will perform at the UAF SRC on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Wood Center.

Dev combines roots of electric and pop music which results in a high energy, and unique musical experience. Although Dev has been making music since 2009, her music career really took off in 2011 with the release of her album “In the Dark.” Her hit singles “Bass Down Low” and “In the Dark” put her in the spotlight in the last year. Although Dev has had great success in her career recently, UAF students have mixed feelings about her upcoming performance.

The Dev poster next to the KSUA soundbooth is scribbled all over with statements like “I cost you $30,000!!” and “aesthetic terrorist.”

When students around campus were asked for their opinions on the upcoming Dev concert, their responses varied from extreme highs and lows; with many students unaware of who Dev even is.

However, not all students are upset about SAO’s pick of Dev for this year’s fall concert.  UAF student Deshaun Baker was happy to hear that Dev will be performing. “I will definitely be there,” Baker said.

Form your own opinion of Dev by coming to the UAF SRC this Saturday for a show that will be full of energy and rhythm. Tickets will be $10 for students and $20 for general admission.  They are currently being sold at the Wood Center and Chartreuse.

Students were turned away from the doors this Saturday night at Dr. Dog’s sold out performance at the UAF Pub on Sept. 8.  The 250 person venue was filled to capacity to welcome the Philadelphia-based band on their first Alaskan tour.

The self-described “musicians’ band” has toured with alternative-rock heavyweights Wilco, My Morning Jacket and the Raconteurs. Dr. Dog  is used performing to crowds as large as  4,000 people and as small as the Bear Tooth Theatre Pub in Anchorage. “I was shocked at how well we did in Anchorage, having never been up here before,” said Toby Leaman, Dr. Dogs frontman and songwriter.

The UAF Concert Board and ASUAF funded the program which brings performing arts acts to campus, and saw an opportunity to bring Dr. Dog to Fairbanks after their Anchorage show.

The UAF Concert Board presents Dr. Dog in the UAF Pub on Sep. 8, 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

“We’d be absolute idiots if we didn’t get them up here – they’re so close,” said Brady Gross, Concert Board member. “They’re a band that’s geared towards an independent college sound that really enjoys seeing people dance.”

Outside the Pub doors, a line of people extended into the Wood Center with excited students still in disbelief that their favorite band was playing the Pub. “There must be another Dr. Dog!” said Jen Popa, an English instructor and graduate student UAF.

The opening act, Sweating Honey, performed their last show together as a band before their departure for the lower 48. Sweating Honey got their start at UAF after winning Battle of the Bands at the Hess Recreation Center in 1999. “Over the years it’s been good to come back to the university,” said Luke Beckel, Sweating Honey founder.

Dr. Dog gave the Pub stage a makeover with unusual decor found in the Pub’s backroom storage area. Colored lights and Halloween swag gave the band an orange glow while they started their first song while eager fans rushed the stage.

Cheers and screams set the stage for the song ‘Alaska’ after Toby Leaman announced, “This is no-brainer for tonight’s set list.” The rarely played song was written for Leaman’s brother when we worked in Dutch Harbor. During the song‘Old Days,’ the once polite crowd turned into a giggling mosh pit of students, laughing and dancing through the last song.  After a stubborn two minutes of clapping, Dr. Dog finally emerged from The Pub storage closet with a surprise of ten inflatable beach balls they threw into the audience.  Students climbed onto the shoulders of their peers and crowd surfing ensued within the unlikely indie audience.

“The band just played with so much energy! They were having a good time, the crowd was having a good time. It was a good time for UAF,” said Nick Konemal, a mechanical engineering major.

KSUA had a take out session with Sweating Honey, who opened up for Dr. Dog on Saturday night.

Sweating Honey guitarist Luke Beckel and trumpet player Corwyn Wilkey play their final performance at the UAF Pub opening for Dr. Dog on Sep. 8 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

Sweating Honey guitarist Luke Beckel and trumpet player Corwyn Wilkey play their final performance at the UAF Pub opening for Dr. Dog on Sep. 8 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

The UAF Concert Board presents Dr. Dog in the UAF Pub on Sep. 8, 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

Toby Leaman of the Philidelphia based band, Dr. Dog, performs the song “Fate” at the UAF Pub on Sep. 8, 2012 Annie Bartholomew/ Sun Star

Dr. Dog’s guitar technician, Marina Cornelius, joins the band for their cover of the Architecture in Helsinki song, “Heart it Races,” in the UAF Pub on Sep. 8, 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

Concert Board members RJ Mikulski, Rosemary Paz, and Brady Gross wait for Dr. Dog to begin sound check. Sep. 8, 2012 Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

Dr. Dog guitarist, Scott McMicken performs at the UAF Pub on their first Alaskan Tour on Sep. 8, 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

During the encore at the Dr. Dog Concert, some students started crowd surfing and throwing around beach balls. Sept. 8th, 2012. Allen Obermiller/Sun Star

The three guitarists of Dr. Dog at their UAF Pub show on Sept. 8th, 2012. Allen Obermiller/Sun Star

The three guitarists of Dr. Dog at their UAF Pub show on September 8th, 2012. Allen Obermiller/Sun Star

Bass and Lead guitarists performing at the UAF Pub on September 8th, 2012. Allen Obermiller/Sun Star

The Hess Recreation Center was packed to fire safety regulation for Agents Drew and Chris’s comedy show, Mission IMPROVable, on Tuesday, Aug. 28.  The UAF Student Activities Office held the free event in order to give students a chance to laugh and relax before the first day of classes.

“A lot of people when they go to an improv show think they are going to be picked on.  I think we have a different feel to our show, like everyone is kind of doing the show,” Drew said. “The crowd is our co-star, we can’t do it without them.”

Agent Drew works his magic on the crowd with he’s elmo voice and the tale of 101 shoes, while Agent Chris is seen in the background at the Hess Rec Center at UAF during the Mission Improvable Show. Sept 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/ Sun Star

According to Agent Chris, Mission IMPROVable is an acting troupe of 50 comedians based in LA, the agents in the troupe use custom routines at each show, making audience interaction different each show.

The agents played out five different skits in the show, their comedy routine consisted of taking texts from students phones, bringing students on stage, having a student make sound effects, a improv stand-up comedy called “101 things” and a nonverbal guessing game known as three things.

In the audience skit, the agents brought two students on stage who improv’d their own lines in audience chosen skits that took place in the Playboy Mansion and Lord Vadar’s 110th surprise birthday party. During the performance Agent Chris moved backand forth between the two student’s scenes on Agent Drew’s command, making the students think quickly on their feet.

For the sound effect skit, both the agents worked at the audience choice of McDonalds with mechanical engineering student Andrew Sharp providing the sound effects. In the skit the two agents ran into a fry machine explosion, and getting the police/health inspector called on their restaurant.

According to Sharp, he kneeled on stage, in order to fight off the nervousness and to focus on making sound effects.

In the last skit, the guessing game, the audience replaced items in a scene with different items. Agent Chris attempted to help Drew guess the audiences three events and items such as water in the shower replaced by acid flavored jelly, the chair in the dentist office actually being Dumbledore, through nonverbal and gibberish communication. Drew was able to guess everything the students came up with

“I like the last game the most, its the easiest to be creative in and I think it always ends the best,” Chris said. ”Its also a trust game.”

After the show both Agents stuck around to chat and high-five the students as they exited the Hess Rec, “We’ve came to the university about four times now, hopefully we will be invited back next year,” Chris said.

“I would definitely come to another comedy show,” Sharp said.

Agent Chris during the Mission Improvable Show tries to get another idea from the crowd at the Hess Rec Center at UAF. Sept. 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/ Sun Star

Mission Improvable Show with agents Drew and Chris from L.A at the Hess Rec Center at UAF. Sept. 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/ Sun Star

Agents Chris and Drew, get little close for a skit for the UAF students in the Hess Rec Center. Sept 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/ Sun Star

Sharp, a student at UAF, provided the sound effects. In the skit the two agents ran into a fry machine explosion, and getting the police/health inspector called on their restaurant. Hess Rec Center at UAF. Sept. 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/Sun Star

Agents Drew and Chris from the Mission Improvable show continues to entertain students every fall before school starts. This year, the Hess Rec Center was packed of new students, and past. Sept. 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/ Sun Star

Agent Drew and Chris entertain UAF students in the Hess Rec Center at UAF during the Mission Improvable. Sept. 4, 2012. Maleaha Davenport/ Sun Star

“They’re young… they’re good… they’re professional,” Cody Rogers said, the Assistant Director of the Student Activities Office.  Rogers was talking about Young Fangs, who played 2-day rock concert on Friday, Sept. 7 outside of the Wood Center and a couple hours later in The Pub. Josh and Brennan LaBuda, two brothers, are the forefront of the local indie group with bearded drummer Joel Fagre rounding it out.

Fagre was sporting a homemade shirt of a hand drawn Jesus wearing a Young Fangs t-shirt. His head bumped up and down as quickly as his drumsticks, with his shoulder-length brown hair bouncing to the beat. “I’ve been working on it for 3-4 years” Fagre said, in reference to his hair, highlighting his personality which can only be described as controlled enthusiasm.  Brennan LaBuda, the quietest one of the group, shared vocals, played guitar, and bass. He seemed almost comfortably lost when he looked out on crowd. The indie rockers were painfully passionate, their music resonating forth in a naked innocence.

The Young Fangs’s guitarist, Brennan Labuda performs “The Bucket” by Kings of Leon at the UAF Pub on Sep. 7, 2012. Annie Bartholomew/Sun Star

When the audience broke into applause at the end of a song, Josh LaBuda responded by saying that he had to take a moment to appreciate this because they’re not used to applause breaks, which only garnered more applause for the local indie band.

They even handled the typical “FREEBIRD!” request from the audience well with quip from Brennan LaBuda saying, “We know a lot of Young Fang covers.“  Josh dedicated a hauntingly hallow vibrant explosion of a song to his mother. She hasn’t seen the band play live yet, but has heard them rehearsing in the living room numerous times.

“It’s great to find a local band that cannot only play their instruments well together, but can also sing at the same time.” said Josh Hovis, a Young Fangs fan at the concert on Friday, Sept. 7.

They’ve come a long way since playing covers of Kings of Leon off a 30 watt amp in their garage.  Young Fangs now plays paid gigs regularly at UAF and the Marlin.  Young Fangs’ next performance will be in Anchorage on Sept. 15 at Taproot.

The Young Fangs bandcamp sums them up as “a few guys doing the most they can with what little they’ve got and a whole lotta heart.”

Outside UAF’s Fine Art Complex, rain mixed with rainbows. Inside, yellow gaff tape with the words “AK YES!” were stuck on boxes of equipment being loaded into Davis Concert Hall Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Those two words sum up the experience of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s show Mountain Stage. The company that produced a special two-night, two-show recording for their audiences on National Public Radio.

Tim Easton, center, plays at the Davis Concert Hall, accompanied by Megan Palmer and Kliff Hopson for NPR’s production of Mountain Stage. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Performances ranged from solo singer songwriters to full six-piece, boot-rocking bands. Bands with Alaskan roots, like The Whipsaws, Melissa Mitchell, Bearfoot, Steve Brown and the Bailers and Pat Fitzgerald and Robin Dale Ford shared the stage with nationally known acts such as Hot Club of Cowtown and Horse Feathers, in front of the nearly sold-out crowd Davis Concert Hall.  Mountain Stage, with its signature opening “Live performance radio from the mountain state of West Virginia,” was recorded Aug. 17 and 18. The show is airing nationally the weeks after Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, depending on station location.

Artistic director Larry Groce, and host of every show in Mountain Stage’s 29-year history, said the production felt right at home, despite being thousands of miles away. Groce attributed the familiarity to the “hillbilly hospitality” in rural communities. He characterized the phenomenon as a desire to spend time with family and friends, rather then chasing material possessions, a place people stop to help someone broken down on the side of the road, rather then keep driving and neighbors who depend on one another while enjoying each other’s company.

Pat Fitzgerald and Robin Dale Ford, who record under their independent record label 10th Plant Records and operate 10th Planet Recording outside of Fairbanks, are no strangers to hillbilly hospitality. “This is a small town, so, it’s kind of a group effort,” Ford said of the recording process in the white-tiled halls backstage at Davis Concert Hall. Fitzgerald elaborated. As opposed to a major record label that would bring in a production manager, “They produce, but we wind up helping them.”

Originally from the small town of Kasilof, in Southern Alaska, singer-songwriter Melissa Mitchell opened the weekend extravaganza with her blending of folk, soul and blues music. Her voice was calm but laced with evident excitement as Mitchell told the audience she could now cross performing on Mountain Stage off her bucket list. Her varying tempos, smooth, powerful voice and lyrics about love, life and the difficulty of finding one’s roots made the perfect herald for acts to follow.

After the show, as dusk diminished outside the Fine Arts Complex Friday night, Elana James from Hot Club of Cowtown felt right at home. The five-time veteran of Mountain Stage said the fun and exotic location gave the show an “extra crackling energy.” Getting a chance to show off her fiddle skills and playful stage presence, James had been excited to share her song “Forget-me-nots” with the crowd, a name that pays homage to Alaska’s state flower.  The three-piece band’s up-tempo, western swing closed out the first night, including a special encore the crowd received with a standing ovation. James said it was the “most fun” she’s had playing Mountain Stage.

Mountain Stage was the finale to UAF Summer Sessions and coincides with KUAC’s 50th anniversary, and proved unforgettable for many. But for those who missed it, or want a reminder, the show will air on KUAC 89.9 the last Saturday of September and the first Saturday of October at its normal time of 2 p.m. Audiences will also be able to find the broadcast online at www.mountainstage.org.

Melissa Mitchell, center left, opens for Mountain Stage in the Davis Concert Hall. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Robin and Tim Easton, plays at the Davis Concert Hall, for NPR's production of Mountain Stage. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Tim Easton plays in the Davis Concert Hall for NPR's Mountain Stage. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Local band Steve Brown and the Bailers open during the second night of NPR's Mountain Stage at the Davis Concert Hall. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Steve Brown and the Bailers play for NPR's Mountain Stage at the Davis Concert Hall at UAF. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Pat Fitzgerald and Robin Dale Ford, accompanied by the Mountain Stage band, play at the Davis Concert Hall. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Members of various bands perform at the finale of Mountain Stage at Davis Concert Hall. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Local band Steve Brown and the Bailers open during the second night of NPR's Mountain Stage at the Davis Concert Hall. August 17th, 2012. Robin Wood/ Sun Star

Batman logo by Slideshow Bruce on flickr. Picture used under a creative commons license.

The success of the Dark Knight Rises was expected. The shooting during the midnight showing of the film in Aurora, Colo. on July 21 was not. Nearly a month has passed since the massacre, and I think a few lessons can be taken from the Dark Knight in this time of mourning.

The Dark Knight Rises is the third and final film in the Batman trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan. Christian Bale reprises his role as Batman. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and Cillian Murphy reprise their roles as well. The film introduces to new characters like Catwoman, Bane, Miranda Tate and Robin John Blake.

The film has its slow moments. It begins 8 years after the the second film, The Dark Knight, ended. Bruce Wayne has aged, is weak and has put up the cape for good.  Or so he believes. However, a new criminal puts the city of Gotham in panic. This criminal is Bane. Bane is a terrorist who was excommunicated from The League of Shadows, the same organization that trained Bruce Wayne as Batman.  Intelligent and strong, Bane is an opposite of Batman but an equal in combat and intellect. He is the only villain in the entire trilogy that is able to break Batman, literally.

Bane defeating Batman is a low moment in the film. It was a moment that I wasn’t expecting. No one wants to see their hero broken because heroes symbolize hope, courage and strength. In the aftermath of the massacre, I think that the families, the survivors and the community of Aurora, CO will have to look within themselves to find the hero needed in this tragedy. In real life, there is no masked superhero to combat the bad guy and save the world. In reality, we only have ourselves, our families and our communities. The qualities that make Bruce Wayne such a memorable superhero can be found in the human spirit. Resilience, compassion and forgiveness are not rare traits that can only be witnessed on the big screen. They are undoubtedly human and better than any black cape and bat-mobile Hollywood can create.

At the beginning of Batman, we see a weak Bruce Wayne that is a shadow of his former self. As the film progresses we see an aged man turn into the hero he was in the first two films. In this time of grief, it is important for the survivors and families of the victims not to give up hope, but to see light in spite of the devastating tragedy that has consumed the nation. This journey can be symbolized by The Pit. In the film, The Pit is a prison that Bane and Tahlia al Ghul escapes. The dangerous conditions of the prison are unbearable. The the only source of sunlight and escape is a tunnel to the world above. Although many men have tried to escape The Pit, only one person has succeeded. However, Wayne is able to succeed the treacherous climb after months of unsuccessful attempts. The journey to overcome this disaster that has affected these individuals will be just as long and difficult.  If successful, I think the product of this journey will be strength and happiness.

Lives have been are broken, loved ones are lost and in this time, it is important to remember the victims of this tragedy more than anything. To escape The Pit that this massacre has created will take many attempts over the span of months, years and decades. It is crucial to remember that no matter how low we fall, there is always an opportunity for resilience, for justice and most importantly, to rise.

Shawn Rosenblatt, a one-man indie band, rocked the UAF Pub July 13 with his ethereal brand of rock and indie pop.

Sean Rosenblatt, the founder of the one-man band The Netherfriends from Chicago, plays at UAF outside the Wood Center on Thursday, July 12, 2012. Elika Roohi/Sun Star

The inspiration for his music comes from the things around him, inspiration from other artists and his brain, according to Rosenblatt.

This isn’t his first time in Alaska.  Rosenblatt first came up to Fairbanks for his 50 states, 50 songs project back in 2010-11.

“I just wanted to continue touring and recording as much as possible,” said Rosenblatt. “I think it helped rewire my brain for the lifestyle I am living now.”

KSUA and the UAF Concert Board requested Rosenblatt come back to Fairbanks a second time for the summer concert series the organizations put together, and Rosenblatt gladly accepted.

“I like how sunny it is all the time, and I love the living situation here,” Rosenblatt said. “I’m staying with a friend who lives in a cabin, there is no running water or Internet. It’s not a living situation you would find in Chicago.  It’s very enjoyable though.”

Rosenblatt started his tour in in Fairbanks, and will be traveling to Kodiak, Homer, Denali, Talkeetna, Girdwood and Anchorage.

“A lot of people who want to get into the music business do nothing, but expect money to be thrown at them, “Rosenblatt said. “I have heard that there is a new top hit song written everyday, but the chance of it being heard is slim to none when artists don’t put themselves out there.”

“People really liked him last time, so we thought it would be good to have him up again,” said Rebecca File, the KSUA program director, in an email. “When we told people he was coming back there was a lot of excitement and anticipation.”

Rosenblatt followed a performance by a local instrumental, screamo and indie rock band called Work at The Pub.

“We like his accessibility to a crowd. He has a lot of indie and pop elements as well as some hip-hop influences which make his music accessible to a lot of people.” File said.

It was easy to see that Rosenblatt’s music was not the only thing accessible to the crowd.  During Work’s performance, Rosenblatt walked around the pub and talked to pub goers before he took the stage.

After walking around the pub, Rosenblatt began to set up his equipment on the stage. A stand that looked similar to a DJ table, a pearly white guitar and some used drumsticks were part of Rosenblatt’s musical arsenal. He began to record a couple of sound clips; short guitar rifts, drum taps, and a bit of beat boxing to prepare for his performance.

Rosenblatt played a four song set with a fifth encore song, including one of his more popular songs Bloomington, IL. During this song the lyrics, “Everybody, everybody, wants to have a good time,” echoed throughout the pub from the mouths of people in the crowd.

During parts of his performance, Rosenblatt got off stage and joined the rest of the crowd in dancing to his sound bits.

“I like to get off stage at smaller crowd shows,” Rosenblatt said. “It’s hard enough to get the crowd pumped up at smaller shows, and most musicians don’t get involved, even at smaller shows.”

Although the crowd was small the dance floor was nearly filled, and the enthusiasm of the crowd could be heard in their shouts for an encore as Rosenblatt walked into the backroom just to walk back out to appease the fans with one more song.

“There are few places I can play where people are excited about a band they have never heard about,” said Rosenblatt.  “It’s cool that such a small crowd has such enthusiasm for an unknown band.”

If you missed The Netherfriends playing in Fairbanks, you can check out KSUA’s footage from their Take Out Session with Rosenblatt last week.

The cast of the 2012 Vagina Monologues gathers for a quick shot before their second and last performance on the evening on Saturday, April 14, 2012. Back row from L-R: Melissa Buchta, Rachel Blackwell, Amy Lee Linam, Janelle Sweeny, Amber Shoemaker, Jennifer Eskridge, and Tiana Hanson. Front row from L-R: Teri Anderson, Hannah Hadaway, and Thalia Jacobs. Photo provided by Tiana Hanson.

An enthusiastic audience filled the auditorium in the UAF Reichardt building to see “The Vagina Monologues” April 13. This audience, made up of annual attendants and eager newbies, cheered as the cast of 10 women stepped out on stage to guide the audience through a series of monologues written to enlighten and inform women and men of all ages.

Comfortable chairs, looking like they would be more at place in a cozy living room, lined up across the makeshift stage at the bottom of the auditorium. At 7:30 p.m., a group of 10 women sat in the chairs.

“The Vagina Monologues” is a theatrical performance by Tony-Award-winning playwright Eve Ensler, and performed in Fairbanks every spring by a cast solely made up of women.

Ensler created the theatrical performance to raise awareness of women’s issues,  ranging from self realization to societal constraints to brutal mental and physical abuse. Each year, every cent of the performances’ proceeds support the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living.

This year’s performance included 17 monologues. Some monologues were performed by one actress, while others included anywhere from two actresses to the whole cast of ten. During the 90-minute performance, the audience showed responses ranging from laughter to tears.

“It was delightful, inspiring and extremely welcoming to men, which in the past has been a problem with the show,” said Sam Misra, a UAF student double majoring in biology and theater, “I have a great time every year.”

The topics of the monologues ranged from initiation of young girls into womanhood to disturbing sexual assault. The first monologue chronicled an interview with a 72-year-old woman who had been celibate since her early 20s. This interview began with the woman acting guarded, feeling wrong about discussing the subject in such a free-form manner. 

By the end of the monologue, the elderly woman came to a self realization. It was inspiring to see Janelle Sweeny act out the shift in attitude from an old woman who was embarrassed and shy, to a much stronger old woman who was sure of herself and her past life decisions.

The emotions of every monologue shifted dramatically within the cast as well as the audience. Jennifer Eskridge, whose daughter Thalia Jacobs was also in the cast, had the audience hysterically laughing during her monologue regarding a female lawyer’s life of wide-ranging sexual experiences, while UAF student Hannah Hadaway brought many audience members to tears with her monologue describing the first-hand experience  of a Bosnian woman who had been repeatedly raped by soldiers in her younger years.

“It was kind of embarrassing being up on stage with my mom given how different our monologues were,” said Jacobs, a young first-year cast member and a student at West Valley High School, “but being part of this experience was still really great.”

Other monologues included poetry full of joy and realization, anger and frustration regarding the social constructs of women in the 21st century and women’s medical care.

The evening was full of raw emotion and inspiration that left the crowded audience showing their pleasure and enjoyment with a standing ovation. 

In Theater UAF's production of "All in the Timing", written by David Ives and directed by Stephan Golux, Tiana Hanson (left) and Marley Horner (right) act out a scene with a typewriter. Photo provided by Kade Mendelowitz.

David Ives’s “All in the Timing,” directed by Stephan Golux, is a beautifully abstracted intellectual playground.

“All in the Timing” consists of six one-act plays, each with its own insight to meaning. “All in the Timing” is playful, making use of wordplay and philosophical references that flirt with the search for greater meaning.

A girl in blue read alone in a “De Stijl” bistro as the audience trickled in on Friday night. They found their seats on either side of the stage, which was built on top of the Salisbury Theater’s main stage. Golux described the arrangement as a tennis court, or alley-style stage. It forces the audience to be aware of their counterparts watching the play, which provides a slightly surreal experience. Surprisingly, this configuration wasn’t distracting at all.

Staging is minimal, but not minimalist. Everything seems to spout from a unifying fountain of neoplasticism, an artistic movement of the 1920s that reduced art to its fundamentals. The play is set in what is essentially a three-dimensional Mondrian painting: overlapping, black, metal-frame rectangles hang at deliberate angles, lights shine straight down in red, blue and yellow squares, and costumes share the same simplicity and primary palette.

The first play in the six-show collection was called “Sure Thing” and featured Stephanie Sandberg and Tyler McClendon. The play chronicles dozens of ways that two people could meet to emphasize that everything must fall into perfectly into place for them to hit it off. The pace dragged a little bit, but “Sure Thing” held on to its charm.

“Words, Words, Words,” a room full of philosopher apes-Milton (Chris Mertes), Swift (Marley Horner), and Kafka (Tiana Hanson)-follows “Sure Thing.” Each chimp parodies the philosophies of their counterpart as they attempt to type Shakespeare for “the man.” The actors make great use of their set in this piece, climbing and swinging from their cage.

“All in the Timing” has a cast of nine, which means that many of the actors play multiple roles. This is typical of productions of “All in the Timing.” It adds another dimension to the abstraction, by associating behaviors of characters with one another.

Andrew Cassel, who is graduating this semester with a bachelor’s degree in theater, delivers an impressive performance all around. His first appearance is as Don, a failed con man, in “The Universal Language.” Seasoned Cassel acts alongside Heather Warren, a UAF English graduate who is acting on the main stage for the first time. The duo are a delight to watch-their acting styles merge in a very organic way. Chioke Buckley is also in this piece, if only for a moment. Buckley is an emergency manager at Eielson Air Force Base, and this is his second main stage production.

These three actors return in their respective colors later as Al (Cassel), Mark (Buckley), and Waitress (Warren) in “The Philadelphia,” a play about existing, or not, in metaphysical representations of cities, or not, and the effect of attitude on overall quality of life…or not. Al shows Mark how to manipulate his Philadelphia from the safety of his Los Angeles, until their worlds mix and Al has trouble taking his own advice.

Between “The Universal Language” and “The Philadelphia” is perhaps the most bizarre of the plays: “Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread.” It is a look into how Philip Glass (Mertes) views the world, even how he participates in day-to-day activities, such as buying a loaf of bread. It is a musical almost entirely without pitch. Two unnamed women (Hanson and Sandberg) and a baker (McClendon) dance around Philip Glass, repeating, reducing, and reinventing the scene by chanting the lines and removing them from context. Mertes plays a disheveled, glassy-eyed Glass, dressed in brown. Philip Glass is the only character who wears a color other than the three primaries.

The last piece is called “Variations on the Death of Trotsky.” It is the year 1940, and Trotsky (Horner) is tending to his political journal. Mrs. Trotsky (Codi Burk) has read in an encyclopedia from the current year that her husband dies that day from a pick axe wound. Trotsky reacts variously to the news, often analytically, but ultimately dies every time. Variations on the Death of Trotsky is similar to “Sure Thing” in form, but the mood is much different. It brings the show full circle. Trotsky spends the whole sequence with a “mountain climber’s axe” in his skull, which has been “smashed” there by his gardener, Ramon (Mertes).

“All in the Timing” runs 90 minutes with no intermission. It will be performed in the Salisbury Theatre at 7:30 p.m. March 23, 24, 30, and 31, and at 2 p.m. April 1.

Golux, a theater professor at the university, has been directing for over 20 years. This is the fourth play he’s directed for Theater UAF. Shakespeare’s “Winter’s Tale” was the last show he directed, from which “All in the Timing” borrows many cast members. He has been asked to direct the show “bobrauschenbergamerica” by Chuck Mee in Anchorage this summer.

Hanson is also a graduating senior. She was recently selected by the theater faculty to be Theater Student of the Year, and she is directing “Famous For Fifteen” through the Student Drama Association in April.

In Theater UAF's production of "All in the Timing", written by David Ives and directed by Stephan Golux, Christopher Mertes (left), Marley Horner (middle) and Tiana Hanson (right) climb on the set and recite their lines to each other in the Salisbury Theater at UAF. Photo provided by Kade Mendelowitz.

In Theater UAF's production of "All in the Timing", written by David Ives and directed by Stephan Golux, Tiana Hanson (left) and Marley Horner (right) act out a scene with a typewriter. Photo provided by Kade Mendelowitz.

In Theater UAF's production of "All in the Timing", Christopher Mertes (left) and Marley Horner (middle) act out a scene with typewriters. Photo provided by Kade Mendelowitz.

"Tastes Like Human", a book by Noel Boivin and Chris Lombardo, was published in January of 2012.

The book “Tastes Like Human” explores ideas you would only find in the armpit of the internet and reads like a well-edited Wikipedia page.

“You are statistically likelier to be touched inappropriately by a person dressed as your favorite cartoon character than to win a lottery jackpot during your lifetime,” according to the chapter on 5 Unlucky Lottery Losers.

Interspecies erotica, karaoke-inspired acts of violence, and rotting dead bodies mistaken for Halloween decorations are all covered in “Tastes Like Human,” a book of unusual lists. Authors Noel Boivin and Christopher Lombardo, nicknamed the shark guys by their publishing company interns, bring their harsh satirical spin on aspects of culture that you never knew you were interested in.

“Tastes like Human” resembles a more sarcastic, mature version of the America’s Dumbest Criminals series. It’s a book of lists designed for adult children who grew up on reality television and microwavable bacon.

In addition to Pub Trivia material, “Tastes like Human” also contains practical advice, like etiquette tips for meeting the Queen, suggestions for how to behave on a first date, and the top 10 easiest college degrees.

But be careful when leaving this book around. It’s the type of smut your mother would discover and dispose of like your favorite band T-shirt with the naked ladies printed on it that you accidentally left in the laundry room. Chances are she would be less than impressed with the Top 10 Horniest Cult Leaders list. I was, but only because Jim Jones of the Jonestown Massacre was listed as number five.

The book was released just last month. You can purchase Tastes Like Human for $2.99 from online book sellers Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There’s no print edition yet, so you’ll just have to e-book it for now.

In the spirit of the Shark Guys’ new release, here is a list of the top four places to read this book on the UAF campus with its target audience in mind. Enjoy.

1. The Wood Center Taco Bell
   Would you like a side of Cinnamon Twists to go with your self-loathing? How about this book instead.
2.  The Lola Tilly Commons
   Let’s face it, you’re a college junior eating at the Tilly. You’re going to need some company while you eat your spaghetti by yourself.
3. Geology  112
   During that 100-level class you are pulling a C in, invest your time in something more valuable like the Top 10 Jesus Spottings list.
4. Your College Dorm Room
   Because you weren’t going to shower anyway.

Imagine you are passionate singer and songwriter from California, about to go on tour in Alaska for the first time ever and the band you usually play with drops out for a better paying gig. For some artists, the smart decision would be to just cancel the tour… but not for Luke MacMaster. The 30-year-old from the Sunshine State stuck to his plans to visit the Last Frontier. He played the campus pub on Oct. 14 with his self written mid-tempo rock, but not without having a little bit of luck.

Evan Phillips, from the Monolith Agency in Anchorage, who had asked MacMaster to come to Alaska, figured out a way to create a temporary band.

“I told Marty Severin who is the business manager in the agency and plays bass guitar in his band, The Jackriver Kings, about Luke and asked him if he can imagine playing this tour with him. He was totally down for it and so were the other two guys I called.” Phillips said. Phillips also plays guitar and sings in several bands.

The other guys are James Glaves, 29 year old e-guitar player in the psychedelic rock band Ghost hands and Derek Mangrobang, 24, who plays the drums and plays the guitar with Matt Hopper & The Roman Candles and the band Turquoise Boy. They all live in Anchorage and have known each other for a few years. They are all also experienced musicians.

“We know what we are doing on stage and we are putting our artistic bar high. We are not fucking around with it but taking it very seriously like Luke does too.” Phillips said.

“I didn’t think twice and I guess we all thought about it as a professional real deal opportunity!” Glaves said.

The group had five days to figure out how to play together.

“I super enjoyed those songs and especially the lyrics. And it’s quiet fascinating how fast they put them selves together in that short time,” Daniel Dickel, 24, said.

“I couldn’t count how many times I said to my friends ‘Oh my god, that band is so good!’ tonight, ” said Alice Williams, 26, who studies law enforcement. “They are much better then I expected them to be.”

MacMaster said he couldn’t have enjoyed the evening more.

“It was beautiful and the people are so great here,” MacMaster said. “Besides the fact that I wish I had a pub like that on my campus. I loved playing with the guys from Anchorage.”

Even though the Marty Severin,46, has lived in Alaska for 12 years now, he had never been to Fairbanks before.

“The sound people in this pub are amazing,” Severin said. “So good to play somewhere were people know what they are doing.”

The pub was filled for the performance at the end of the night the floor was packed with dancing people.

And even people who normally don’t listen to that kind of music were convinced by the end.

“It’s not my type of music at all but man, they are a tight band!” Nils Peterson, a 26-year-old biology student, said.

The new temporary version of Romany Rye will tour around Fairbanks during the next week and move on to perform in Anchorage for the last two days.

After that Luke MacMaster will go back to California to write more songs for his second album and Phillips, Severin, Glaves and Mangrobang will go back doing their regular bands.